Golden Globe sponsors give $750,000 to charity

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The organization that hands out
Hollywood's Golden Globe Awards said on Wednesday said it has
given grants of more than $750,000 to several top film schools
and nonprofit organizations.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association annually gives out
money from profits it receives for televising its gala ceremony
each January at which it gives out awards for best films, TV
programs, actors and actresses.

But this year, the Golden Globes telecast was transformed
into a news conference awarding winners because striking
Hollywood writers vowed to protest the awards show, and some
actors said they would not cross a writers' picket line.

Still, the NBC TV network did broadcast the news conference
announcing award winners, but it only lasted about 30 minutes
compared to the ceremony's typically three hours or more.

The Golden Globes are one of Hollywood's top honors for
film and TV, and typically its telecast attracts more than 20
million viewers. But this year's news conference drew a TV
audience of only about 5.8 million.

"Despite last January's cancellation ... that curtailed the
Hollywood Foreign Press Association's income, we're delighted
to honor our ongoing commitment to support entertainment
industry-related film school and nonprofit organizations,"
Jorge Camara, HFPA President, said in a statement.

In the past 13 years, the HFPA has donated more than $7.5
million to entertainment-related charities. Last year, HFPA
donated $1.2 million dollars toward philanthropic pursuits.